More Reunited Stories 6

Reason for separation: They were school sweethearts in 1952 when R. was 16 and M. was 14. Even then he knew she was the one. In 1955 he joined the Royal Marines and they became engaged. Just before he left in 1957 he received a letter from her mother, which turned his world upside down. He never discussed the letter with M., he was afraid she would confirm his worst nightmare.

In fact he ran before he got hurt, expecting that he would get over it. He didn't realise it would take twenty years and a failed marriage to achieve it though. In 1976 he married again and had a wonderful marriage but in 1999 he was diagnosed with cancer, after many painful treatments he began to feel a bit better and told his wife he felt well enough to go out for a meal the next evening. That night however she had a missive heart attack and died.

He loved his second wife very much but she had understood how much he had loved M. too, the first love of his life. He had been so scared that she would have left him in the end and he had run without even talking to her. He had never stopped her loving her though and as he had so little time left to live he was desperate to get back in touch to let her know, to find out how her life had been.

He felt that he would die with so many regrets if he didn't try to contact her. His previous attempts had failed. Time was of the essence when he wrote to Gill and she was able through 192.com to locate M., they were back in touch and all, in the circumstances was well in the end.

Reason for separation: Many years ago, when M. was struggling to bring up four children on her own, she met the man she calls 'Mac'. Eventually he told her if he drove up and down outside her house enough times would she go out with him. She laughed and said: "I'll see". They did go out together on and off for quite some time.

He would take her wherever she wanted to go, he always bailed her out when she was in trouble or had problems, but she always saw him as a 'ladies' man' and as he had never told her that he loved her, she was nover sure of the relationship.

One evening he took her for a romantic meal and asked her to marry him. She turned him down wit the excuse that she would never be able to hold onto him. A poor excuse she admits, but she was insecure about his feelings for her as he would often joke around and 'raffle' her, and she in turn would flirt with other men and try to show him she didn't care. Daft behaviour, yes, but they were young.

He did marry someone else iin the end and her mother had kept in touch with him for some time but when her mother died, she tried to find on a few occasions but was unsuccessful, even though she missed him terribly. The problem was she had not known how much he had loved her.

They met again by accident some fifteen yeas later and he wanted them to be together again, but as she says, liker an idiot, she still wasn't sure and felt she needed time. He was impatient and an all or nothing kind of guy so again she refused, not confident enough to give it a try. A decision she has regretted bitterly ever since.

She made a few half-hearted attempts to contact him but was never confident enough to persevere with her quest. It wasn't until her latter years that she realised just how much he must have loved her, and if he had the time to convince her she thought everything might have been different.

Upon reflection everything that he had done for her was proof enough, and some 25 years on, she had found the confidence to try to find him again. Now willing and able to give it a shot, and so sorry for the pain she must have caused with her headstrong ways.

She thought it might be too late, but with so many regrets she had to try. So she wrote to Gill Whitley, having heard about her service through the Daily Mail.

After some exhaustive searching, as there were quite a few McKinnells in the 192.com, M. and Mac were reunited.

Reason for separation: Lost touch after college in 1963. After C.'s friend B. McDermott located her through Gill's Searching for a Memory service, C. was hoping to locate their third friend of the 'Trinity'. C. was overwhelmed when B. made contact after all those years, and though it would be amazing if all three could be reunited. She knew that M. was engaged to a gentleman called P. Finn, and with that scant information Gill was able through the use of 192.com to locate her college friend. All three have now been reunited and all is well.

Reason for separation: They both changed address and lost touch. They were both friends from the age of eleven. They saw each other and kept in touch until they were both married, but some time after, they lost touch and J. has always wondered what happened to P. She had not seen her for many years and she wrote to Gill, in the hope that she might be reunited. Using 192.com, the friends are now in contact again and all is well.

No. of people reunited: 2

Person Looking: L. FoxPerson Missing: P. N. KingRelationship: Father

Reason for separation: Until she was 10 she saw her father, though her parents were never married and he came and went as he pleased. After her tenth birthday when he bought her a jumper, she remembers even to this day, she never saw or heard from him again.

After years of pain and sadness she was desperate to make contact, recognising the deep sadness and pain his absence had left in her heart. After attempts to trace him through the Guyanese Embassy and the Salvation Army, which proved fruitless, she turned to Gill for help. Her father and she have now been reunited, after many lost years and all is well.

Reason for separation: in 1950 J. was transferred to another school. B. has managed to located many of his old school friends but J. was the last one and he was very keen to get back in touch with him. He contacted Gill and using 192.com his friend was located, and all is well.

Reason for separation: Moved and lost contact. He was the last contact for her father R. Green when her mum and dad moved to Swansea. She wanted to find him for her father who last saw him 25 years ago. He was located by Gill using 192.com.

No. of people reunited: 2

Person Looking: Mr. N. CramptonPerson Missing: L. JarvisRelationship: Service PalsReason for separation: Lost contact after demob from R.A.F in 1955. Mr. Crampton was keen to get back in touch with his old friend and contacted Gill. His friend was located easily through 192.com and all is well.

Reason for separation: Families drifted apart for reasons that are no known. R. last saw N. in the early 50's when she was around 16 or 17. After almost 50 years he was very keen to meet up with her again and contacted Gill to help. Using the 192.com she was able to find his cousin and the two are now in touch again.